How to Avoid Common Holiday Scams
Although the holiday season is a time of happiness, it's also when scammers target innocent shoppers. More than 60% of people are expected to do their shopping online according to a 2022 study on consumer activity, so it's vital to know about the scams that exist and how you can protect yourself from them.
By being alert to the typical scams and ensuring you're taking necessary safety measures, you can have a wonderful holiday season while shopping online. In this article, we'll explore some common holiday scams in detail, including how cybercriminals exploit them during this time of year and what steps you can take to prevent becoming a victim yourself.
Some of the most common types of scams to be aware of this season
Some of the most popular scams during the holidays are phishing scams, gift card scams, and online shopping scams.
Watch out for phishing attacks disguised as emails or websites from trusted companies or individuals. They only want your sensitive personal information like passwords, bank account information, credit card numbers, or personal phone numbers. If you're in doubt about an email's legitimacy, don't click on any links. Go directly to the company's website instead. You can also hover over links to see their destination before clicking on them.
Protect yourself from gift card scams by only buying cards from reputable stores, and holding onto the receipt in case of any issues. Scammers often buy gift cards with stolen credit card information, intending to use them to purchase other items. In other cases, they may even sell counterfeit cards.
Be wary of online shopping scams! These schemes include fraudulent websites that sell counterfeit or damaged products masquerading as legitimate stores. They often have indicators such as misspellings, poor grammar, or a different domain name than the original store. If you're in doubt about a website's validity, take some time to look into it before making any purchases.
What are some of the ways that cybercriminals take advantage of holiday shoppers?
As people are generally more busy and generous during the holiday season, cybercriminals take advantage of this by launching scam campaigns. Be extra cautious about online purchases and clicking on links, as well as verify requests for donations before responding. Do your research before donating to any sites, including Gofundme and Kickstarter.
Methods to avoid these scams during this festive season
There are several things you can do to avoid these scams during the holiday season:
1. Credit card fraud is a popular method for scammers to steal money. The best way to avoid this happening to you is by checking the security features of any website before entering your credit card information. To do this, look for an https:// prefix in the web address and a closed padlock symbol in the browser window.
2. The best way to avoid having your identity or money stolen is by never giving out personal information or credit card details unless you are the one who initiated contact.
3. It's important to do your research before buying anything online. Cross-check that you're on a reputable website by looking for seals or certificates of authenticity, and read reviews thoroughly before finalizing a purchase.
4. Be wary of any online deals that appear to be too good to be true. If a deal seems too good to be real, chances are it is. There are plenty of great offers available during the holiday season, so keep your eyes peeled for the best ones that are also safe.
5. Develop difficult-to-break passwords or passphrases for each site you are using, whether it's a personal or work account. If you use a password manager, make sure that can't be broken into either.
6. Always upgrade your computer software and install anti-virus tools to help guard against malware attacks by scammers.
7. Opt for a credit card over debit when shopping online to better protect yourself against fraud.
Ways to report scam attempts while shopping online?
Although it may be tough to report a scammer when shopping online since people usually don't know who to contact or where to seek help, there are a few avenues you can explore. By gathering the scammer's information and taking some specific steps, you can hopefully report them successfully.
One possibility is for people to contact the Better Business Bureau (BBB). They are funded by the government and their services include helping consumers resolve complaints and disputes. In addition, they can provide more resources on how to report scams.
Another option is to reach out to the scammer's email provider or web hosting company. Many scam emails will come from free email providers like Gmail or Yahoo, so reporting the scammer to these companies can help shut down their accounts. Additionally, many scam websites are hosted on free web hosting services like WordPress or Blogger, so reporting these websites to their hosting company can also shut them down.
Finally, you can contact law enforcement. Not all scams involve financial transactions or personal information, so people should reach out to the police if they are not sure whether or not they should report the scam. If it is financial, the police may be able to help you.
This holiday season, take extra precautions when shopping online. Following these steps can keep yourself, your finances, and your identity safe from potential scams. If you have any questions about your cybersecurity needs this season please contact us and from all of us here at PCS Technology, have safe and happy holidays!
PCS is a world-class leader in protecting data & identity for businesses and non-profits. We provide a critical service to businesses and non-profits by managing cybersecurity risks, including ransomware, crypto walkers, phishing emails, and other evolving cyber crimes. See how IT services can benefit your company.